


In the Rain

by rebellious_rabbit



Category: The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Dancing, Dancing in the Rain, F/M, Flashbacks, GAH I can't spell, Kissing, Kissing in the Rain, Monday Morning Fluff, Nikolai's a flirt, alina's a flirt too, flahsbakcs, he's been standing in the rain for who knows how long
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 17:40:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13058916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebellious_rabbit/pseuds/rebellious_rabbit
Summary: Nikolai and Alina had a flirting moment a couple of months ago, but then their class together ended. Now he's standing outside her window in the rain ready to make good on a promise he made to her so long ago





	In the Rain

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is something that I've been wanting to write for awhile now, but I couldn't find a way to fit it into my other fic. I decided to write it on its own. I might add another chapter if people want one. Enjoy! :)
> 
> Btw, in case it isn't clear, I use *** to indicate when the scene is switching between flashback and present day and vice versa

Alina sat at her kitchen table trying to draw the perfect portrait for her art class, but she couldn't seem to get it right. Her concentration was not helped by the relentless rain that pounded on her roof. The drumming was so loud and constant, and the skies were so dull, it had the effect of lulling her halfway to sleep.

As she put her head down to rest for a bit (just a moment, she promised herself) she thought she heard her name drawn out across the winds outside. 

Aaaallllllliiiiiinnnnnnnaaaaaa!!!!

__

Startled, Alina jolted up from her chair. When had she fallen asleep? How had she let that happen? She turned to examine her artwork again, eyes widening in dismay when she saw the small drool stain in the middle of the page.

“Saints, I'm so stupid.” She muttered, looking around for another piece of paper to start over on. She didn’t find one, so the stain would have to stay.

Aaaaaaallllliiiiinnnnaaaaa!!!

There it was again. The wind? The rain? Her groggy mind? Maybe, but was it just her or did this one sound more urgent?

Alina!

This time it was in much clearer focus. Someone was definitely calling her name- and in this weather? What were they thinking?

Sighing, Alina marched over to the window that overlooked the front lawn. She pulled up the pane and looked down, unwilling to stick her head too far out for risk of getting wet.

Down below, sopping wet to the point of dripping water, was a guy from her one and only engineering class. It had ended last semester, but she would remember that face for a long time to come. She hadn't known what she wanted to do when she went to college, so she'd picked a variety of classes, but Nikolai Lantsov was an engineer through and through. He might make a good politician too, though Alina would never admit that to him.

***

She heard crunching noises and looked up to find Nikolai eating a granola bar. Slowly. Deliberately. Eyeing her for a reaction. 

“Nikolai you know you aren't allowed to eat in here, it's the library.”

“Alina dear, are you worried I'll get fat?”

“No I- never mind.” 

He chuckled then, swallowed the remainder of the granola, and shoved the wrapper into the depths of his jacket pocket.

“How was your week?”

Alina stared at him for a long moment. She barely knew him and this course was only a semester long. She already knew she didn't want to be an engineer so she'd probably never see him again. 

She decided to pour her heart out to him, only she may have gone farther than she intended. By the time she was through talking about her two previous boyfriends and how they'd cheated on her, she was a mess.

“Why?” She asked Nikolai, “Why are men such douchebags?”

Poor Nikolai, who'd gotten much more than he'd bargained for with such an innocent question, was the face of panic.

“I- I don't know about all guys.” he finally stuttered

Alina realized how mean she'd been. “Sorry to dump all of that on you- and I don't mean ALL guys, just the ones I pick.”

Nikolai looked thoughtful. He ran a hand through his glorious blonde hair and Alina had the sudden urge to mess it up even more.

***

As Alina stared down at him from her window, Nikolai looked as if he'd been about to call her name again, hands cupped, mouth open, and now he didn't know what to do. Slowly, he dropped his hands to his sides and stared back at her, seemingly oblivious to the sheets of rain falling around him.

“What in saints names are you doing out there?” 

He merely shrugged. “I need to show you something!”

“Okay…” 

There was a pause, in which neither of them moved, then Nikolai motioned toward the door of Alina’s building. “Are you going to let me in?”

She rolled her eyes, closing the window and heading to the door to go downstairs.

Alina didn't actually own the entire building- only the third floor. Directly beneath her lived a very nice set of twins- Tolya and Tamar, and on the ground floor was a solitary man named David.

When she finally made it down the stairs, she swung open the door and stared out into the rain. Nikolai was nowhere to be seen.

“What the hell Nikolai?”

Then, from right beside the door- he must've had his back pressed up against the wall just out of sight- Nikolai appeared. Something mischievous crossed his face before he grabbed her by the wrist and started tugging her out into the rain.

“Nikolai!” She protested, putting an arm up to shield her eyes from the onslaught of water. He just laughed.

Only once they stood in the middle of the lawn did he stop. They were both soaking wet.

“Why did you do that Nikolai? I'm sopping wet!”

Instead of answering her, Nikolai started to walk in circles around her, still holding her by the wrist. Rather than let her arm wrap awkwardly around her own torso, Alina reluctantly turned in circles as well. Neither of them said anything, simply spun in slow circles in the rain. It was like dancing, and once Nikolai saw she had gotten the idea, he stopped circling and stood still, focusing his energy into twirling her like a princess..

The moved then, Nikolai leading the dance. Together they stepped in time to a beat only they could hear, Nikolai stopping only to spin her around or lift her into the air.

Despite the ridiculousness of it all, Alina let out a laugh. She felt a giant invisible weight disappear from Nikolai. He had been nervous. Nikolai had been NERVOUS. Alina laughed louder now, turning her face skyward and feeling the water wash over it.

***

“Well Alina..” Nikolai started, then paused as if confirming with himself that he truly wanted to say what he was thinking. “Maybe we can help you avoid this douchebag problem by mapping out your perfect guy.”

Alina scoffed a bit. “And what would be the point of that?”

Nikolai shrugged again, sheepishly. “It'll prevent you from… settling?”

Alina raised a brow, but Nikolai just stared into her eyes for a beat, then two, daring her to contradict him and point out his play.

Finally, Alina looked away. “Alright. Let's give it a shot.” 

Nikolai's smirk was there and gone in an instant before he started talking. “Okay… what does your ideal guy look like?”

Alina rolled her eyes. “If you're expecting me to tell you he's a dashingly handsome blonde with ravishing green eyes, no.”

“Ravishing green eyes huh? I like this guy already.”

Alina ignored him. “Next question Nikolai.”

“But you didn't answer the first one.”

“And I'm not going to.”

“Fair enough. What's this imaginary fellow like?”

“He loves me enough to kick your ass.”

Nikolai let out a guffaw. “I'm pretty sure I'm flexible enough for that.”

Alina paused. Did he just say he loved her? He barely knew her. They were just flirting. No, he couldn't have.

Nikolai seemed to realize what he'd said at the same time, and quickly covered by asking another question.

“What would you and this hazel-eyed fox be doing?”

Alina instantly turned red. “Really Nikolai?” She asked, “you're gonna go there? You're probably still a virgin.”

Alina didn't need to tell him that she herself was still a virgin. 

Nikolai laughed. “Saints Alina! I went no such place! I meant dating activities. You and your dirty mind.” He laughed again. “Feisty too.”

Alina turned red. Attempting to cover it, she dropped her chin into her hands and took on a dreamy stance. “I suppose… my hazel-eyed fox and I would kiss in the rain, lie together under the stars, and travel the world.

***

That seemed like so long ago now, and they hadn't spoken much since then, but as Nikolai spun her around in the rain, she felt suddenly sure of herself. 

This was her perfect guy- the one who would stand outside in the rain for hours just so they could dance in it together.

She spun towards him until they were separated by nothing but the wet layers of clothing clinging to their bodies, their heads mere inches apart. 

Alina knew the exact moment Nikolai’s breath caught in his chest. “My hazel-eyed fox” she whispered as she leaned up to place her lips on his. 

Nikolai’s lips were soft on hers, gentle, and in awe, as if he couldn't believe she was really in his arms. He lifted a hand to cup her cheek, and she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer.

Around them, the rain seemed to slow, the sound of it fading away into the background. Nothing existed in the world except the two of them. And Alina decided she liked it that way.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope that flashback wasn't too weird. Might continue this depending on what people want. Don't forget to comment down below! :)


End file.
